The Mustadafin Foundation is changing lives, one person at a time and last week their efforts received a much-needed boost when they received a sponsored van from a construction company.
Speaking at the handover in Tafelsig on Thursday April 26, Muneeb Martin, 29, from Woodlands, who is a social worker at the foundation, said they are excited to receive the van from A denco Construction Company. “Most of these kids have not seen places outside of Mitchell’s Plain, now that we have been blessed with a van, we can explore the world with them.”
Mustadafin Foundation is a non-profit organisation, established in 1986, that works across the Western Cape to uplift destitute communities, including Tafelsig.
Three years ago they did a survey in Tafelsig to determine how many children are out of school, what challenges they are facing academically, to name a few.
They found that about a thousand children in Tafelsig have dropped out of school or could not finish school.
The Mustafadin Foundation recruited 30 child and youth care workers to work with the children who cannot complete their schooling because of difficult circumstances.
Mr Martin said the foundation has a bridging programme for children who dropped out of school to pick up where they left off and go back to school so that they can continue their mainstream schooling career.
The children who are currently part of this programme range in age from 10 to 14.
The child, youth and social workers take the children through not only academic programmes but social programmes too.
“They need to understand what social and emotional issues can affect them in the long run and how to cope with these issues,” said Mr Martin.
Their aim is to educate, said Mr Martin.
He said the foundation sent 58 children to mainstream school.
“We are so grateful to help these children and give back to them the power of education so that they can empower themselves with it,” said Mr Martin.
For more about the Mustadafin Foundation and how you can help, call 021 633 0010 or 021 633 0060, WhatsApp 079 567 3645 or visit them at their head office at 30 Turfhall Road, Lansdowne.
